1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an educational toy and, more particularly, to a toy figurine which has a revolving globe disposed therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Knowledge of geography is essential for appreciating the physical and social aspects of the complex global world in which we live. Traditional teaching devices for facilitating comprehension of world geography are rarely useful for most children. A conventional world globe, for example, is a teaching device which is frequently used to educate children on world geography. In the classroom, however, few children feel comfortable familiarizing themselves with a heavy globe which may rest on a teacher's desk or bookshelf. Outside of the classroom, most children would prefer to amuse themselves with toys rather than a traditional learning device, such as a globe of the earth. Thus, an educational toy incorporating a globe to teach world geography and the earth's rotation about an axis is desirable.
Educational toys associated with geographical or multicultural concepts are described or disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 67,422, issued May 26, 1925 to V. C. Thompson (a doll); U.S. Design Pat. No. 367,686, issued Mar. 5, 1996 to Lolita B. Decanay (a doll); U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0045400, published Apr. 18, 2002 (set of dolls for simulating a universal beauty pageant); U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0102909, published Aug. 1, 2002 to Derraugh et al. (cloth shape with pockets for objects; U.S. Pat. No. 3,895,457, issued Jul. 22, 1975 to E. Koskiewicz (global sphere yo-yo device); U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,935, issued Feb. 25, 1992 to C. S. Monson (composite toy having interconnectable toy components); U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,938, issued Feb. 25, 1992 to C. Reynolds (toy or other object alterable between two different shapes); U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,840, issued Dec. 9, 2003 to Chastain et al. (set of dolls for simulating a universal beauty pageant); U.K. Patent No. 2,235,805, published Mar. 13, 1991 (educational globe toy); and Japanese Patent No. 7-631, published Jan. 6, 1995 (toy for intellectual training).
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, an educational toy solving the aforementioned problems is desired.